The Problem With Diaspora Israelis

For some of the Jewish faith the ultimate declaration of their religious devotion is to make aliyah, to move from the the diaspora to the land of Israel. Being Jewish in exile is just too difficult to maintain with so many secular distractions. That along with the desire to fulfill the commandments to the fullest drives some to give up the comforts and safety of America (and other countries) and to move to the hotbed of the Middle East. It is an honorable and admirable move which is very difficult for many reasons including family, finances/employment, and cultural differences. Giving up all the opportunities America has to offer for oneself and for one's children and obligating themselves and their children for Israeli military service is an enormous commitment. Yet the opportunity to move to the land that the Jews have been praying for two thousand years is a powerful force.

What is much less discussed and seemingly purposely silenced is the vast number of Israelis who emigrate from Israel to the diaspora and these Israelis in exile are particularly problematic from a Jewish point of view. Many of them are cultural Israelis but have very little Jewish connection. Israelis in the diaspora are connected by their common language, similar military experiences, common middle Eastern diet and other factors. However these factors are not strong enough to ensure the perpetuation of Judaism. They tend to live amongst themselves apart from American Jews and American Jewish institutions as their language and cultural upbringing is quite different from American Jews. As with many other immigrants to the US, the first or second generation maintain their language and culture but by the third generation the powers of assimilation strongly outweigh the "tired and old world" customs of the grandparents.

American Jews and Israeli Jews are culturally different in many ways and often do not mesh easily. This is evident as Americans who make Aliyah will often live amongst other Anglos and Israelis who move to America will generally live amongst themselves. The problem is the Jews who move to Israel are going for the need to be more religious while the Israelis who move to America are often irreligious and are doomed to assimilation.

Almost every place I go on vacation around the world I hear Hebrew at some point. Israelis are everywhere. I don't blame them for leaving to look for opportunities wherever they may be found but counting on Israeli culture to transmit their heritage to their kids and grandchildren is a recipe for certain assimilation. Only by learning to be Jews in exile will they be able to maintain their heritage.

In Israel many secular people feel they don't have to be religious since they live in the holy land and defend it. Yet in exile Jews have to work harder to maintain their Jewish identity in order to ensure its transmission to future generations. Diaspora Jews know how to propagate their religion in an environment of constant distractions but diaspora Israelis will find that maintaining their Jewishness by being cultural Israelis in the diaspora and not being involved in Synagogue, Jewish schools, Jewish camps, Jewish community centers,etc, will lead ultimately to assimilation of their progeny.

Diaspora Israelis need to learn how to survive as Jews in America. Speaking Hebrew and eating chumus is not enough.